Spicy Roasted Cashews / Masala Kaju

Spicy Roasted Cashews are full of flavors, super easy to make, and completely addictive! They are spicy, crunchy, and great for munching at any time of the day.

These Spicy Roasted Cashews are perfect for a snack, holiday parties, or to munch during long drive journeys. Also, they are fantastic to have at work as a healthy snack. It is a super easy way to turn raw cashews into nice toasty and irresistible nuts.

Jump to:

• About Spicy Roasted Cashews
• Why You Will Love These Masala Kaju
• Ingredients
• How To Make Spicy Roasted Cashews
• Storing Suggestions
• Variations
• Helpful Tips
• More Recipes With Nuts
• Recipe Card

About Spicy Roasted Cashews

I love to keep a jar of spiced and toasted nuts. They are naturally more tempting and more exciting than raw nuts. I have already posted a recipe for Spicy Nuts and Sweet and Spicy Roasted Nuts, which are very flavorful, delicious, and addictive.

But Spicy Roasted Cashews are my favorite and come at the top of the list of my favorite roasted nuts.

When I was in India, my father often brought spicy cashews, known as Masala Kaju, for special occasions. And those were my absolute favorite. However, they were fried and then coated with spices. But then, once I started roasting cashews with spices in the oven, I realized they tasted the same without frying!

The recipe is incredibly easy and only takes a few minutes to combine. Also, this recipe is highly versatile. You can add more spices of your preference or omit the one from the recipe you do not prefer.

Ingredients

1. Cashews: Use raw and unsalted cashews.
2. Oil: I have used olive oil, but any cooking oil you choose will work.
3. Salt and Pepper: I have seasoned the cashews with fine-grain sea salt. But you can use table salt and adjust the consistency accordingly. Also, add ground black pepper, less or more, as per your taste.
4. Red Chili Powder: This recipe yields moderately spicy cashews, as I have not used a very spicy chili powder.
5. Cayenne Pepper: Because my red chili powder is not too hot, adding a bit of cayenne pepper makes the cashews moderately spicy. But if you use a very hot red chili powder, you may skip the cayenne pepper.
6. Chaat Masala: I like to add chaat masala for some tang and to add more flavors. However, you can skip it if it is not available to you.
7. Sugar: A teaspoon of sugar will enhance the flavors of cashews and will not make them sweet. But if you like to have spicy and sweet roasted cashews, you can add 2-3 teaspoon of sugar.

How To Make Spicy Roasted Cashews

• Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).
• Line the rimmed cookie sheet or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
• In a medium mixing bowl, add cashews.
• Then add oil, salt, black pepper, red chili powder, cayenne pepper, chaat masala, and sugar.
• Toss well until cashews are entirely coated with the oil and spices.

• Spread them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

• Bake the cashews for 10 minutes, then stir the nuts and shuffle them around.
• Then continue baking for another 10-15 minutes or until the cashews are golden.
• Keeping an eye on the oven after 15 minutes is crucial to ensure that cashews are perfectly roasted and not burned.
• Remove from the oven and let them cool completely in the pan before serving and storing.

Storing Suggestions

• Store the spicy roasted cashews in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three weeks.
• It also freezes well, stored in a freezer-safe container or bag for six months.

Variations

Butter: Instead of oil, and if you do not follow a vegan diet, use melted butter for more flavors.

Sweetener: Instead of sugar, add maple syrup or honey.

Herbs: You can infuse fresh herb flavor into these spicy cashews. Use 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh rosemary or dill. If you like, you can also add chopped fresh oregano or thymes.

Spices: Add more spices, such as garam masala or curry powder.

Salt: I have used fine-grain sea salt. But you can also use flaky sea, kosher, or table salt. However, please note that you will have to adjust the quantity of salt depending on which one you are using. 

Seeds: Throw some sunflower or pumpkin seeds for more nutrition if you want.

Helpful Tips

• Cashews: Make sure to use raw and unsalted cashews for the recipe.
• Roasting The Cashews: While roasting, it is essential to stir the nuts in between for even toasting.
• Sugar: It enhances the flavors of the spicy roasted cashews, but you can skip it if you want.
• Salt: If using salt other than fine-grain sea salt, adjust the quantity as needed.
• Chaat Masala: I have added chaat masala to make the cashews slightly tangy and to add more flavors. But you can skip it if you do not have chaat masala.
• Red Chili Powder and Cayenne Pepper: I have used red chili powder that is not too spicy. Then, adding cayenne pepper makes the cashews moderately spicy. So add red chili powder and cayenne pepper to your taste.
• Lining The Baking Sheet: Make sure to line the baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper; otherwise, the spice mixture will stick to the pan.

More Recipes With Nuts

Recipe Card